Events, bringing the community together

INREV’s inaugural event in Wiesbaden in 2003 marked the official launch of the association. Ever since, events have played a crucial role in bringing the community together. Hedda Hollander, Director of Events and Education, shared her observations with IQ.

The Wiesbaden event was attended by all of INREV’s members at the time. It set the precedent for today’s varied programme of best-in-class educational seminars and conferences. Together, they form an integral part of the association’s ongoing drive to share knowledge across the industry and provide valuable networking opportunities. Over the years, the programme has reinforced the strong sense of community that, to a large extent, defines INREV membership.

Over the years, the programme has reinforced the strong sense of community that, to a large extent, defines INREV membership.

Adapting to changing circumstances

The programme has been successful even in the most challenging of times. Following the outbreak of COVID-19, for example, events migrated online.

As Hedda explains, they still managed to catch people’s attention: ‘During the pandemic we did many studio events which made us stand out from the crowd – we built a TV studio and hosted our events from there, making them more professional and appealing’.

The shift online even increased the industry’s appetite to come together as a community and helped broaden INREV’s audience reach. Three years on from the pandemic, most of our events have returned to in-person gatherings but we still offer a variety of short online briefings to help members easily keep up to date with what’s going on. 

In 2005, INREV offered 8 on location events, with just one person on the team, and even had a Membership and Events committee to help with the development of the programme and organisation of events. INREV now has a three-person team who oversaw 49 events last year ranging from thought provoking two day conferences to specialist seminars and short online briefings on topics impacting the industry.

Wide range of events

INREV’s events programme has evolved significantly, continuously expanding to reflect members’ changing requirements and emerging industry themes. Today, the range is wide and varied, encompassing ever-green events such as the Cannes Seminar, Autumn Conference and Investment Intentions Roadshow.

Hedda highlights a few others that have gained a justifiably strong reputation within the industry: ‘Since its launch in 2005, the Annual Conference has become one of the most highly valued events within the industry, while our North American Conference is testament to INREV’s international reach – tackling both global and European topics. And the Young Professionals Conference is a huge enabler for younger market participants, helping them build relationships that will carry them through their careers’.

The association has also committed to further increasing the equality and diversity of speakers and events, which we’ve seen reflected across the board but especially in the Young Professionals community. See the community article. 

The INREV ESG Seminar is the latest edition to the programme, which addresses one of the most increasingly important topics in the industry.

INREV has created unique opportunities for industry professionals to come together. As the association continues to grow, so will the importance of events and networking.